


About sleep

by Rimeko



Category: Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Coffee, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Hurt/confort, Love, Nightmares, Romance, Sleep, hug, kastle - Freeform, kastle daily live, relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-14
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-06-10 10:05:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15289161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rimeko/pseuds/Rimeko
Summary: "Sleepy is 'I haven't slept enough because I was having too much of a good time last night', while tired is 'I haven't get enough sleep in days, I rely on caffeine to function and I oddly want to punch someone right now'."At least, that's Karen point of view, or maybe she just wanted to tease Frank. Anyway, the conversation quickly take a more serious turn and Karen is as always wanting to help.





	About sleep

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write a fic about several things (coffee, sleep, nightmares...) but I didn't know how to put them together. And yesterday I found a little cartoon about the difference between « sleepy » and « tired » and, well, the muse liked it a lot :D

"Tired, Ma'am ?" Frank asked as she yawned for what felt like the tenth time.

Karen rubbed her eyes and stretched out her arms. They were sitting on her couch – well, she was more curled up than sitted, leaning up against his shoulder, her body heat radiating through the thin fabric of his t-shirt. It was a quiet Sunday morning and they weren't planning on going outside anytime soon.

"Um, more like sleepy..."

He raised an eyebrow.

"There is a difference ?"

"Oh yeah" She answered with an amused smile. "Sleepy is 'I haven't slept enough because I was having too much of a good time last night', while tired is 'I haven't get enough sleep in days, I rely on caffeine to function and I oddly want to punch someone right now'."

He looked down at his coffee cup and let out a low chuckle.

"I kinda feel like you've got a specific person in mind when ya say that."

She laughed too.

"I wonder what make you think that." She teased jokingly, eyeing his scarred knucles. "By the way, are you actually aware that you still need to sleep from time to time ?"

Her tone had shifted, becoming more serious – and concerned – but he still tried to brush it off.

"Nah."

Today was not the day he was talking freely about feelings, even if Karen always managed to make him open up. She just had to give him that puppy-eyed look, and... and goddamnit, she was giving it right now. That freaking woman – if she had something in mind, trying to divert her was like trying to walk through a wall. That actually something he really liked about her, though he would never say it out loud.

"Yes you do need sleep like any other human being, she insisted. Have you even seen the dark circles under your eyes ? And don't try to tell me those are bruises, like you did last time, I'm not having this."

Frank looked at his hands for a few seconds before establishing eye contact once again, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

"Are ya worryin' 'bout me, Ma'am ?"

"Yes. And stop calling me like this, we're dating for more than a month now for Christ's sake !"

"I'm a gentleman."

She brushed it off with a casual hand gesture.

"You're just a big nerd, that's what you are."

Oh god, she loved to get him to smile. She kept looking at him – rather fondly, she had to admit it – and therefore she noticed the shift in his expression ; his brows furrowing, his eyes becoming darker again. She bit her lower lip as her heart sank in her chest.

"Frank ?"

"I still don't sleep well." He said without looking at her. "Nightmares, ya know."

Yeah, Karen knew, in deed, for the many times she had witnessed his brutal awakenings, usually at the early hours of the moning... She hated how useless and powerless she felt in those moments.

She shifted on the couch, turning to face him and search for his gaze.

"Is there something I can do for you about this ?"

"Just... just let me know you're awake."

She titled her head a bit, a confused look accross her pretty features.

"Why ?"

"So I know I can hug ya if I want without wakin' ya."

For a few sec she was too stunned to talk.

"You know I go back to sleep really quickly, right ?"

"Still."

"Still I don't mind." She said, reaching out for his hand and squeezing it lightly. "Frank, I mean it."

 

* * *

 

It was several nights after that talk, and Karen was gazing at her ceiling half hidden in the shadows, thinking about her new article and what she could do to fill the gaps in it. However despite her thoughts she noticed quickly how the breathing of the man beside her became suddenly faster and sharper. She debated for a few seconds if she should actually do something before Frank jerked awake, accidently kicking her in the leg. She didn't move though, wanting to give him space if he needed it.

She never knew what the hell she could do in times like this, what would be helping him. She didn't want her presence to overstep his memories of his family – Maria and the kids – despite all he could say, she couldn't come to consider herself at a part of his "family". That's why she had felt relieved to finally ask him, a few days ago...

Minutes passed. Karen couldn't see his face in the dark, but she still could feel him shaking next to her. She eventually reached out for his exposed arm, her fingers gently brushing against his skin. Frank turned to face her and she caught a glimpse of his eyes before he wrapped his arms around her. He hold her tightly, nearly to the point where it was hurting her, but she said nothing, listening to his fast heartbeat until it grew slower and slower. Then he let her go a bit, however Karen stayed close to him, hand pressed against his chest.

"What did I say a few days ago about waking me ?"

Her words echoed in the darkness and were followed by a long silence.

"Sorry."

His voice sounded almost distant.

"Don't be... it was for you, not for me."

She felt Frank's fingers entangling with hers.

"I dreamt ya were gone."

She didn't dare to ask if he meant truly gone or... dead. She felt her throat tighten at the thought. She knew he was always thinking about that, about losing her too, and she had to admit she wasn't really doing a good job at reassuring him, since she always got herself in trouble somehow – something to do with her righteous obsession to uncover the truth probably.

She squeezed his hand softly, as to assure him of her presence by his side. She could at least do that.

"I'm not, Frank. I'm not going anywhere."

**Author's Note:**

> I would love to hear your thoughts !  
> (As a Frenchie, I especially struggled with mirroring Frank's way of talking, I'm trying to copy other fics I read, but let me know if it sounds right or not ;) )


End file.
